Portable golf bag cart

ABSTRACT

A golf bag cart ( 10 ) characterized by a hinged canister ( 66 ) having an inner wall ( 84 ) defining an inner cavity ( 82 ) and a flange ( 78 ) extending radially inward from the inner wall ( 84 ). A golf bag ( 88 ) is received into the inner cavity ( 82 ) of the canister ( 66 ) and placed on the flange ( 78 ). The canister ( 66 ) is supported by a disassemblable or collapsible frame ( 12 ) on which is removably journaled on wheels ( 18 ) that allows the frame ( 12 ) to be moved when the wheels ( 19 ) roll. When a user wishes to have the golf bag cart ( 10 ) take up less room, the user can place the wheel ( 18 ) within the remaining space in the inner cavity ( 82 ) of the canister ( 66 ), and place the disassembled frame ( 12 ) into the golf bag ( 88 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to golf bag carts. More particularly, itrelates to a lightweight golf bag cart that can be used with aconventional golf bag and that can be easily disassembled and stored.

2. The Relevant Technology

Although a golf bag is convenient for its short-range portability, itbecomes quite cumbersome when used on the golf course, carrying it fromgreen to green. In addition, the size and weight of golf bags has beenincreasing. As a result, golf bag carts are frequently used on the golfcourse where the golf bag is placed in or attached to the cart to permitwheeling about the golf course during the game. While present-day cartshave eased the burden of carrying the golf bag, they have severaldisadvantages.

Most golf bag carts are separate pieces of equipment from the golf bagwith which they may be used. Therefore, a golfer must transport both thegolf bag and the golf bag cart separately or hope that he can rent agolf bag cart at the golf course. The inconvenience of having to carryand store a separate piece of equipment has limited the use of golf bagcarts.

In addition, most golf bag carts are bulky and heavy, making themdifficult to transport and to store along with equally bulky golf bags.Thus, transporting a golf bag cart from the house to the car and fromthe car to the golf course can be a difficult task, especially for thosewho may not have the physical strength necessary for such a task.

Furthermore, the wheels on golf bag carts can become caked with mud,dirt, or grass in the process of being used on a golf course. When aconventional golf bag cart with dirty wheels is transported or stored,dirty wheels can soil areas in a car or home. This is undesirable.

Moreover, many golf bag carts that have solved some of the problemsabove can only be used with golf bags especially designed for use withthe specific cart. Thus, the purchase of a lightweight, transportablegolf cart may require the purchase of a new golf bag as well. This canbe expensive.

A further difficulty with some present-day disassemblable golf bag cartsis that the detachable wheels, handles, etc. either require additionalstorage space or take up space that otherwise could be used for golfequipment.

Still a further difficulty with present-day disassemblable orcollapsible golf bag carts is that the small size of the componentsnecessary for portability has forced the distance between golf carts'wheels to be small, rendering the golf bag cart relatively unstable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a golf bag cart comprising a plurality ofwheels, a collapsible frame, an adjustable support means for supportinga conventional golf bag, a storage means for storing the wheels, anadjustable securing means for releasably securing the conventional golfbag to the collapsible frame, and a handle.

The golf bag cart has a fully assembled state and a disassembled state.In its fully assembled state, a conventional golf bag is attached to thegolf bag cart to permit wheeling about a golf course during the game. Inits fully assembled state, the golf bag cart has a proximal side and adistal side. The proximal side of the golf bag cart is that side whichwould be pulled by a user. The distal side of the golf bag cart is theopposite side. The golf bag cart also has a top and a bottom. The bottomof the golf bag cart is that side which is closest to the ground whenthe golf bag cart is being pulled along the ground. The top of the golfbag cart is the opposite side. In its disassembled state, the golf bagcart takes up less room than conventional golf bag carts.

The collapsible frame comprises an axle member, a horizontally disposedsupport means having a proximal end and a distal end, and a verticallydisposed support means having a top end and a bottom end.

The collapsible frame has a fully assembled state and a disassembledstate. In the collapsible frarne's fully assembled state, the bottom endof the vertically disposed support means is attached to the axle member,and the vertically disposed support means extends substantiallyvertically from the axle member. The proximal end of the horizontallydisposed support means is attached to the axle member, and thehorizontally disposed support means extends substantially horizontallyfrom the axle member. In the collapsible frame's disassembled state, thevertically disposed support means and the horizontally disposed meansare disconnected from the axle member or are rotated so as to bedisposed substantially parallel to the axle member.

In the golf bag cart's fully assembled state, the wheels are eachreleasably journaled on the axle member.

Furthermore, the distal end of the horizontally disposed support meansis connected to the adjustable support means, so as to prevent theadjustable support means from moving vertically relative to thecollapsible frame. The adjustable support means supports the bottom ofthe conventional golf bag and can be adjusted to accommodateconventional golf bags of varying diameters.

The top end of the vertically disposed support means is connected to theadjustable securing means, so as to prevent the adjustable securingmeans from moving relative to the collapsible frame. The adjustablesecuring means restrains any movement of the top of the conventionalgolf bag and can be adjusted to accommodate conventional golf bags ofvarying diameters.

The storage means is rigidly connected to the adjustable support means.

In the golf bag cart's disassembled state, the wheels are removed fromthe axle member and are placed within the storage means. The collapsibleframe is put in its disassembled state and placed within theconventional golf bag as a conventional golf club. The adjustablesupport means and the adjustable securing means remain attached to theconventional golf bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 through 4 present illustrations a preferred embodiment of theinvention wherein like reference numerals refer to like components.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the inventionfully assembled and in use with a conventional golf bag.

FIG. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the embodiment presented inFIG. 1, wherein the golf bag cart is fully assembled, but theconventional golf bag has been removed from the golf bag cart.

FIG. 3 is a perspective, exploded view of the embodiment presented inFIG. 1, wherein the golf bag cart is in a disassembled state, but acollapsible frame remains in its fully assembled state. An adjustablesupport means in the form of a hinged canister is attached to the bottomof the conventional golf bag, and an adjustable securing means in theform of an adjustable retaining strip remains encircled around the topof the conventional golf bag. In addition, a set of wheels has beenremoved from the axle member of the collapsible frame.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment presented in FIG. 1,wherein the collapsible frame has been disassembled and then placedinside the golf bag, just as a golf club. The detachable wheels (notshown) have been stowed inside the hinged canister between the bottom ofthe hinged canister and the bottom of the golf bag. Both the hingedcanister and retaining strip remain attached to the golf bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 through 4 present a preferred embodiment of the invention, andare not meant to limit the disclosure to the wide variety of embodimentsthat may be constructed. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a preferred embodiment of agolf bag cart 10 in its fully assembled state. Golf bag cart 10comprises two wheels 18,18; a collapsible frame 12; an adjustablesupport means for supporting a conventional golf bag 88, and a storagemeans for storing wheels 18,18, both embodied in a hinged canister 66;an adjustable securing means in the form of a retaining strap 94 forsecuring a top portion 92 of conventional golf bag 88; and a handle 120.

Collapsible frame 12 is comprised of a horizontally disposed supportmeans 16, and a vertically disposed support means 14, and an axle member30. As seen particularly well in FIG. 3, horizontally disposed supportmeans 16 is embodied by two horizontally disposed support members 56,56,each having a distal ball-shaped end 62 and a proximal ball-shaped end64. Proximal ball-shaped ends 64,64 are shaped substantially the same asdistal ball-shaped ends 62,62, shown in FIG. 3. Vertically disposedsupport means 14 comprises two vertically disposed support members114,114, each having a top ball-shaped end 116 and a bottom ball-shapedend 118. Top ball-shaped ends 116,116 and bottom ball-shaped ends118,118 are shaped substantially the same as distal ball-shaped ends62,62, shown in FIG. 3.

Axle member 30 comprises a two-way socket-and-groove connector 38 andtwo short axle members 34,34. Each short axle member 34 has an outsideball-shaped end 36 and an inside ball-shaped end 32. Outside ball-shapedends 36,36 and inside ball-shaped ends 32,32 are shaped substantiallythe same as distal ball-shaped ends 62,62 of horizontally disposedsupport members 56,56, shown in FIG. 3. Inside ball-shaped ends 32,32 ofshort axle members 34,34 are connected by means of two-waysocket-and-groove connector 38. Two-way socket-and-groove connector 38comprises two socket-and-grooves 44,44, which in turn comprise grooves40,40 each of which have a substantially circular cross-section andwhich enlarge to terminate in a spherical socket 42. To connect two-waysocket-and-groove connector 38 to short axle members 34,34, insideball-shaped ends 32,32 are inserted into sockets 42,42 and then slidalong grooves 40,40. This connection prevents short axle members 34,34from translating axially with respect to each other and with respect totwo-way socket-and-groove connector 38. The use of two-waysocket-and-groove connector 38 allows axle members 34,34 to be shortenough to be portable and yet, when placed end-to-end, long enough toprovide a wide wheel base for golf bag cart 10, thereby making golf bagcart 10 more stable.

Golf bag cart 10 can be wheeled along the ground by means of wheels18,18, each of which comprises a wheel axle 20 and a groove 22. As canbe seen in FIG. 3, to attach one of the wheels 18,18 onto collapsibleframe 12, wheel axle 20 is inserted into a cavity 26 formed in theoutside end of a three-way socket-and-groove connector 28. Wheel axle 20can rotate freely inside cavity 26, but a spring-loaded pin 24 engagesgroove 22 in wheel axle 20 to prevent wheel 18 from translating axiallywith respect to three-way socket-and-groove connector 28.

Each three-way socket-and-groove connector 28 also has threesocket-and-grooves 46, 52, 54. Each of socket-and-grooves 46,46 receivethe outer ball-shaped end 36 of one of short axle members 34,34.Socket-and-groove 46 comprises a groove 48 formed in three-waysocket-and-groove connector 28 which has a substantially circularcross-section and which enlarges to terminate in a spherical socket 50.When ball-shaped outer end 36 of short axle member 34 is placed intosocket 50 and is slid into groove 48, short axle member 34 is preventedfrom translating axially with respect to three-way socket-and-grooveconnector 28.

Each three-way socket-and-groove connector 28 also has asocket-and-groove 52 which receives ball-shaped proximal end 64 ofhorizontally disposed support member 56 in the same way assocket-and-groove 46 receives ball-shaped outer end 36, preventingball-shaped proximal end 64 of horizontally disposed support member 56from translating vertically with respect to three-way socket-and-grooveconnector 28.

Ball-shaped distal ends 62,62 of horizontally disposed support members56,56 are received by one-way socket-and-groove connectors 60,60 which,in turn, are rigidly fixed to an outer wall 86 of hinged canister 66.Hinged canister 66 comprises two semicylindrical halves joined at oneseam by a hinge 70 and at the other seam by a clamping lock 74. Withinhinged canister 66 and extending radially inward from an inner wall 84of hinged canister 66 is a flange 78. A cavity 82 formed within innerwall 84 and above flange 78 receives a bottom portion 90 of conventionalgolf bag 88. Bottom portion 90 of conventional golf bag 88 rests on andis supported by flange 78. Clamping lock 74 can be adjusted so as todecrease the diameter of hinged canister 66, thereby snugly securingbottom portion 90 of conventional golf bag 88 within hinged canister 66.A bottom 68 of hinged canister 66 is also fitted with an access plate72, which is rotatably mounted at one edge of access plate 72 to hingedcanister 66 by means of a pin 76 used in hinge 70. Thus, access plate 72can rotate about pin 76, and in doing so, access plate 72 selectivelyexposes or covers bottom 68 of hinged canister 66. A hole 80 is formedwithin access plate 72 to allow for easy grasping of access plate 72.

Top portion 92 of conventional golf bag 88 is secured to collapsibleframe 12 by means of retaining strap 94. Retaining strap 94 comprises asingle piece of suitable material encircled about top portion 92 ofconventional golf bag 88 and overlapping itself at a first end 96 and asecond end 98. First end 96 and second end 98 of retaining strap 94 areclamped together by a clamping lock 100, which permits the diameter ofretaining strap 94 to be adjusted so as to snugly fit around top portion92 of conventional golf bag 88.

Retaining strap 94 is attached to collapsible frame 12 by means of afemale connector 102 rigidly attached to retaining strap 94. Femaleconnector 102 receives a male connector 104 which protrudes from thedistal side of an apex connector 106. Male connector 104 is formed witha groove 108 so that when male connector 104 is inserted into femaleconnector 102, a spring-loaded pin 110 engages groove 108, preventingmale connector 104 from translating with respect to female connector102. Apex connector 106 further comprises socket-and-grooves 112,112formed within apex connector 106. Socket-and-grooves 112,112 receiveball-shaped top ends 116,116 of vertically disposed support members114,114. Ball-shaped bottom ends 118,118 of vertically disposed supportmembers 114,114 are received by socket-and-grooves 54,54 which are notshown but which are substantially the same as socket-and-grooves 46,52.

Thus, vertically disposed support members 114,114 in connection withshort axle members 34,34 form what is substantially an isoscelestriangle, which acts to support top portion 92 of conventional golf bag88 by means of retaining strip 94. Similarly, horizontally disposedsupport members 56,56 in connection with short axle members 34,34 alsoform what is substantially an isosceles triangle, which acts to supportbottom portion 90 of conventional golf bag 88 by means of hingedcanister 66. Together, horizontally disposed support members 56,56;short axle members 34,34; vertically disposed support members 114,114;and their connecting means (three-way socket-and-groove connectors28,28; two-way socket-and-groove connector 38, and apex connector 106)form collapsible frame 12.

In addition, apex connector 106 is fitted with handle 120, which iscapable of being rotated in a substantially vertical plane by means of apin joint 122 between apex connector 106 and handle 120. Pin joint 122not only allows handle 120 to be rotated in a substantially verticalplane but also to be selectively fixed at any angular position.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cart comprising: a frame having a length and aplurality of rearrangeable components; at least one wheel removablyjournaled on said frame so as to allow said frame to be transported byrolling said at least one wheel, said frame including an axle and beingattached to a rigid extension member; and a canister attached to saidframe and said rigid extension member, said canister comprising: aninner cavity of sufficient size and configuration to receive asemi-rigid container extending substantially the length of said frameand to store substantially within said inner cavity said at least onewheel when removed from said frame, a container retaining means forreleasably retaining said container when said container is receivedwithin said inner cavity, and a wheel retaining means for releasablyretaining said at least one wheel when said at least one wheel isremoved from said frame and is stored substantially within said innercavity.
 2. A cart as recited in claim 1, wherein said canister comprisestwo hinged substantially semicylindrical halves.
 3. A cart as recited inclaim 1, wherein said canister further comprises an inner wall, and saidcontainer retaining means comprises a flange extending radially inwardfrom said inner wall.
 4. A cart as recited in claim 1, wherein saidwheel retaining means comprises a selectively removable access plate. 5.A cart as recited in claim 1, wherein said canister comprises opposingconcave inner walls having a distance between said walls, the distancebetween said walls being adjustable.
 6. A cart as recited in claim 2,wherein said canister further comprises an inner wall and said containerretaining means comprises a flange extending radially inward from saidinner wall.
 7. A cart as recited in claim 2, wherein said wheelretaining means comprises a selectively removable access plate.
 8. Acart as recited in claim 4, wherein said access plate is rotatablymounted to said canister.
 9. A cart as recited in claim 6, wherein saidwheel retaining means comprises a selectively removable access plate.10. A cart as recited in claim 9, wherein said access plate is rotatablymounted to said canister.
 11. A golf bag cart comprising: (a) areleasable support means for supporting a golf bag; (b) a frame attachedto a rigid extension member and releasably attached to the adjustablesupport means, the frame comprising: (1) a means for supporting theadjustable support means; and (2) an axle member releasably attached tothe means for supporting the adjustable support means; (c) a releasablesecuring means attached to the frame for releasably securing the golfbag to the frame; and (d) a storage means for storing a wheel, thestorage means being attached to said rigid extension member andreleasably attached to the frame, and the wheel being releasablyjournaled on the axle member of the frame.
 12. A golf bag cart asrecited in claim 11, wherein said releasable support means comprises ahinged canister having opposing concave inner walls having a distancebetween said inner walls.
 13. A golf bag cart as recited in claim 11,wherein the golf bag cart can be disassembled by removing the wheel fromthe axle member of the frame and placing it within the storage means, byremoving the frame from the releasable support means and from thereleasable securing means, by disconnecting the axle member from thesupport means for supporting the releasable support means, and byplacing the support means for supporting the releasable support meansand the axle member within the golf bag.
 14. A golf bag cart as recitedin claim 11, wherein said releasable securing means comprises aretaining strap.
 15. A golf bag cart as recited in claim 12, whereinsaid releasable support means further comprises a flange extendingradially inward from said inner walls.
 16. A golf bag cart as recited inclaim 11, wherein both said releasable support means and said storagemeans comprise a hinged canister.
 17. A golf bag cart, comprising: (a) acollapsible frame, the collapsible frame comprising: (1) an axle member;(2) a plurality of first support members, each first support memberhaving a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end of each first supportmember being releasably attached to the axle member and the top end ofeach first support member being releasably attached to one another; and(3) a plurality of second support members, each second support memberhaving a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of each secondsupport member being releasably attached to the axle member; (b) aplurality of wheels, each removably journaled on the axle member of thecollapsible frame; (c) a hinged canister releasably attached to thedistal end of each second support member of the collapsible frame, saidhinged canister having a first and second end separated by an innercavity, said first end having an adjustable opening, said adjustableopening being adjustable for receiving a golf bag into said inner cavityand said second end having an opening, said opening being removablycovered by an access plate and being configured for receiving saidplurality of wheels for storage in said inner cavity when said pluralityof wheels is removed from said axle member; (d) a retaining strapreleasably attached to the top end of each first support member of thecollapsible frame and being releasable for securing said golf bag tosaid collapsible frame.
 18. A golf bag cart as recited in claim 17further comprising a handle mounted on the collapsible frame for a userto control movement of said collapsible frame on said plurality ofwheels.
 19. A golf bag cart as recited in claim 18, said handle having aposition relative to said collapsible frame that is adjustable.
 20. Agolf pull cart comprising: a frame having a handle end and an oppositeaxle end; a pair of wheels removably journaled at opposite ends of theaxle end of the frame; a rigid extension member having opposite firstand second ends, the first end being attached to the axle end of theframe; a canister attached to the second end of the rigid extensionmember and having: a golf club bag compartment for releasable retainingtherein one end of a golf club bag that extends out of the firstcompartment towards the handle end of the frame; and a wheel storagecompartment, situated below the golf club bag compartment, for storingtherein said pair of wheels when removed from the axle end of the frame.21. A cart as recited in claim 20, wherein said frame comprises aplurality of rearrangeable components.
 22. The golf pull cart as definedin claim 20 further comprising a handle member, attached to andextending from the handle end of the frame, whereby a golfer can pull orpush the golf pull cart by the handle member to transport the golf pullcart by rolling the pair of wheels over land.